I made rolls, of the cinnamon variety.
I use cinnamon rolls as a sort of… well, anxiety calming drug. I don’t pop pills, I definitely pop cinnamon rolls.
See… there was this thing invented a good long while ago called the 10 Year Class Reunion. It’s where you get together with all the people that made fun of you during your painfully awkward teenage years. Yea. Why? Why do I have to do this? Can’t we all just become friends on Facebook and Twitter and consider ourselves properly reunited!?
Seriously. The future is now!
Since I think I’m going to gracefully bow out of the reunion festivities, here’s the CliffsNotes of what I might have said to my old classmates.
Hi. Yea, it’s me Joy. I sat behind you in.. a bunch of classes probably. Here’s the update. I went to college. I read a lot of books. I graduated. I traveled around some. I haven’t gotten married or pregnant yet. Yea.. I’m prettier now, but that’s mostly because I was actually really ugly when you knew me. I’m a baker. I think it’s the most awesome thing ever. I know a crap ton about food. Would you like to discuss French cheeses at all? I have a blog… also awesome. Sure, I’d like to meet your boyfriend Steve. I recognize him from your Facebook photos. Your relationship status is “complicated” though… care to discuss? No? Hm… well, sure I’d like to see pictures of your kids. Would you like to see pictures of my cinnamon rolls? It’s only fair.
Don’t make me go to this thing. It will be awkward. Awkward. Awkward. Awkward!
I need counsel and another cinnamon roll.
These cinnamon rolls are nothing short of amazing. The cream cheese is folded (literally) into the dough, creating an extra moist, truly irresistible roll. They take time… sure. Yes. But when it comes to things like your 10 Year Class Reunion… you just take the time to make the rolls. It’s necessary.
Here’s the recipe.
Below the recipe are my step by step photos, in case you get knee deep into the recipe and panic.
Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls
Saveur October 2008
For the Dough:
1 – 1/4oz package active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon, plus 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk at room temperature
2 Tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted, plus more for kneading
3/4 teaspoon salt
8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
For the Filling:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/4 cup raisins
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
For the Icing:
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup buttermilk
Making the Dough:
In the bowl of a stand mixer combine yeast, 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1/4 cup water heated to 115 degrees F. Stir to combine and let sit until frothy and foamy, about 10 minutes.
Add remaining sugar, milk, light brown sugar, vanilla, egg, and egg yolk. Beat with a wire whisk until well combined. Fit the bowl onto the mixer, fitting with the dough hook attachment. Add the flour and salt and mix on medium speed until the dough just begins to come together. Turn the machine on medium-high and knead the dough for 4 minutes.
Add the butter and continue to knead for about 6 minutes. The dough will the wet and sticky. Place the dough on a well floured work surface, and knead about 1/3 cup all-purpose flour into the dough. Don’t worry, the dough still might be a little sticky. It’s ok. Just set the dough to rest in a large greased bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
While the dough rises, make the filling. Combine the sugar, dark brown sugar, pecans, walnuts, raisins, cinnamon, salt and cloves in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Stir in the maple syrup. Set aside.
When the dough has doubled in size, dump if from the bowl onto a heavily floured work surface. Gently knead the dough until it is no longer sticky, adding more flour as needed. I think I added about 3 Tablespoons of flour. Work the dough for about 1 or 2 minutes. Once it’s no longer sticky, place a kitchen towel over the dough and let rest for 5 minutes before you roll it out.
Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a 10 x 10-inch square.
In a small bowl, mix the cream cheese with a knife until it’s smooth and spreadable.
Spread the cream cheese evenly over the dough square. Fold the square into thirds like you would fold a letter to fit into an envelope. Take the open ends of the rectangle and fold into thirds again, to make a smaller dough square.
Invert the dough so that the seam is face down and, using the rolling pin, gently roll it into a 10 x 20-inch rectangle. You make find that some cream cheese sneaks through. Be as gently as possible with the dough, but continue to work it until you reach the size you need.
Turn the dough so that the short sides are parallel to you. You’re going to roll from the short sides of the dough.
Brush the top of the dough with half of the melted butter. We’ll use the rest of the butter after the rolls are baked.
Pour all of the filling onto the dough. Spread evenly, leaving a 1-inch boarder at one of the short edges of the dough so the roll can be properly sealed. Lightly press the filling into the dough.
Using your hands, lift up the bottom edge of the dough and roll it forward into a tight cylinder. Place dough cylinder seam side down on a cutting board. Using a sharp, thin knife, trim off the uneven edges.
Cut cylinder into 8 equal slices. Nestle the slices, cut side up and evenly spaced in a butter 9 x 13-inch (light colored) metal baking dish. Cover pan with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place to let rise for 2 hours. You may also refrigerate rolls overnight.
Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Uncover the rolls. If you refrigerated the rolls, let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before baking. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
Make the icing: While the rolls are baking, whisk together the sugar and buttermilk in a small bowl until smooth.
Transfer the pan of cinnamon rolls to a cooling rack. Brush with remaining butter. Let cool for 5 minutes. Dip the tines of a fork into the icing and drizzle over the rolls. Serve immediately.
Some of the stuff you’ll need.
This is what the dough looks like as it’s coming together after the flour is added.
After kneading in the mixer for 10 minutes, I took the dough out, added 1/3 cup more flour and kneaded.
Gettin’ ready for the first rise.
Now make the filling!
Big, happy dough after 2 hours!
Knead the dough on a heavily floured surface, adding more flour so the dough is no longer sticky.
Roll that darling in a 10 x 10-inch circle and cream cheese it!
Fold it up.
And again.
Keep folding.
Done!
Now roll again. This time to 10 x 20-inches.
Time for the good stuff.
And roll.
Trim the edges and slice into 8 slices.
Into the pan.
And baked!
That’s good stuff. Great job.
Think this recipe is a little too daunting!? I understand… you might like this one though!
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Oh no! These look absolutely wonderful and I just made cinnamon rolls yesterday! I wish I’d have had this recipe. :’(
Is it sad I can’t wait for my 10 year reunion? I may change my mind for future ones after that, though :)
those rolls look SO good! I made some really good whole wheat ones a few months ago that had the traditional potato in them. Yum! Beautiful pictures.
Sounds fantastic! Love what you’d say to the people at your reunion. I think that my spiel would be almost identical ;)
Why are you so funny. It just doesn’t make any sense! Ugh, hs reunions are the pits. 10 years is sneaking up on us too. Yuck. This is a much more labor intensive coping mechanism than we could bear….perhaps a fast galette instead?
What fantastic cinnamon rolls – I love the cream cheese in them, yum!
I may try this recipe sometime! I’ve wondered why I don’t like cinnamon rolls, since I love *cinnamon*. I decided that it was that blah sticky frosting. This cream cheese one sounds great.
The cinnamon rolls look amazing and something I would love to try. I don’t do reunions though. ;)
I went to my 10 year high school reunion a couple of years ago and was surprised by how pleasant it was. We all went out for drinks afterwards and were surprisingly civil to each other. And NOBODY had kids.
Beautiful! I look at a longer process like that of this recipe and think – woah, fun! right up my ally. You should eat these and watch Romey and Michelle’s High School Reunion at the same time – double the therapy.
How about you come to visit here and then, you know, out of a sheer goodness of your heart you bake these? ;)
This is why I’m glad I am Canadian. We don’t do high school reunions! Otherwise it would be mine this month, too. The thought alone calls for a stiff drink. Or two.
I totally skipped my 10 year a couple of years ago. The people I still want to talk to from high school, I do.
Haha your posts always make me laugh! Your cinnamon buns look glorious! I’m such a sucker for them and I love the addition of cream cheese folded into the dough and buttermilk in the icing. This recipe is definitely saved for a day when it isnt so stifling hot in my place to bake!
Um, this just looks awesome. As always Joy, another fabulous recipe.
I just found your site and I LOVE it! I can’t wait to try these. Just made the RB Float cake and yum! yum! Thanks for your fun blog and your great photos! It’s a treat for my eyes to look and my brain to read. That doesn’t sound as poetic as I wanted it to, but you get my drift….;)
I did not make it to my 10yr reunion (I luckily had an alibi in the form of “sorry, in the Navy, stationed in Hawaii, waaaaay too expensive to fly me, the husband and kids to Arizona – send me pictures!”), so don’t feel bad about not going to yours. Honestly, who will remember who was and wasn’t there? From what I understand, it’s just an opportunity for people to get drunk and relive the awkward years that were meant to be forgotten. So spare yourself the pain and stay home and bake – you’ll be oh-so-much happier for it!! :)
I will be giving these a try really soon. maybe even tonight.
I bet this upcoming reunion would provide plenty of good fodder for this blog. C’mon, we’re all cheering you on!! You should go. You’ll never have another chance.
Nuh-uh, not gonna work.
I don’t care how delicious those things are, you are GOING!
If I have to go to my reunion, you have to go to yours…period. My sister says I have no choice, so I better start looking for something fantastic to wear.
Same thing goes for you! Please post pics of what better be the perfect dress…and more treats, of course.
-Sarah
I was absolutely terrified to go to my reunion…I’m not married, or pregnant, nor do I really have any imminent prospects for either; I was worried that I would spend the entire night feeling inadequate. Turns out, the fact that I like myself and am comfortable in my own skin made alI the difference. Once I got there, it wasn’t about proving myself; it was more about enjoying our shared experiences and our memories of misspent youth.
I encourage you to go. You’re a beautiful, seemingly HAPPY woman with life experiences to share. Let people know what success looks like.
these rolls look like danger…hot, hot,sexy (sexy?, yes) danger.
yay! for avoiding the dreaded reunion joy! my mother pesters me about mine…she works at the school i went to…and i refuse to go. i like to avoid meeting with the rural nevada high school folk of my teen years…no i don’t have kids. no i’m not moving back to town (ever!). no i still do not want to drive out into the field and drink coors and shoot rabbits. NO!
I skipped my 10 year reunion too – I totally understand what you’re saying.
I LOVE all the photos you included of the process. These look amazing and I will definitely be making them as soon as I can!
i’ve remained close to two friend from high school. at our 10 year reunion, we stuck together and had a blast.
but, i know how you’re feeling. my 20 year is in august – how the hell did i get so old so fast – and i’m thinking of passing on this one. it’s still up in the air. i guess if my 2 friends go, i’ll go too.
it’s so true about facebook. i’m facebook friends with people i hardly knew in high school.
Ooooh yeah, these look seriously amazing!!!
OMG your killing me – How am I supposed to get into a swim suit with posts like this!! Incredible
Hola from South America!!!!!!!!
I just discovered this blog and i´d love it!!! should go to your 10 year reunion …….im sure you will surprise everyone as you do it on this blog. can’t wait to bake these amazing rolls!
Joy, these look delish! Thanks for writing this adorable and yummy blog! And, regarding reunions–I made my 10th (but shouldn’t have bothered), missed my 20th (heard it was okay and maybe a little fun), my 30th (gasp!!) is next month. Skipping it. It’s 3000 miles away. No regrets but I still will want to see/hear about it from my friends who go, KWIM?! Sending hugs out to you! And, for the record, if I lived in CA, I’d be at your picnic for sure! But I’m too far north (Seattle).
Oh Joy! These look sooo much better than mine! I can also pop these like an addict. If I make these with the nuts, my family won’t eat them, so I can have it all to myself… I will definately try it this weekend. Also, as Tambo says, if I was anywhere close to LA, I would definitely join your picnic, as long as there are some of these buns…
Yum, such a generous amount of filling! :)
Thank you thank you thank you for the pics!! I can’t believe the amount of times I’ve tried to bake stuff and get half way thinking “is this what its supposed to look like?”. Its winter here in South Africa and these are just what the doctor ordered! :D
Oh and my 10 year reunion was 4 years ago. I didn’t go mainly because I really couldn’t be bothered with seeing anyone that I hadn’t actually stayed in contact with. Plus it was so badly organised that I only found out about it two days before. I found out later only about 10 people showed up. Maybe we were just useless! hehe, but maybe you should go and show off how much cooler you are now. ;)
HILARIOUS!!! I think that would be pretty much my conversation too lol. My 10 year is this fall… and I also will not be attending :)
Joy, This post made me laugh SO much!!! So when I went to my 10 year reunion I was shocked over and over again when people were like “yeah, I remember you” – I was like the quietest, shyest, most-forgettable ever. Oh, and I made a complete idiot of myself at the reunion also. But I am going to go to my 20th reunion (because I am silly & a glutton for punishment and SO curious!!). The cinnamon rolls look so fantastic – though I probably should not eat cinnamon rolls if I have a reunion coming up =)
This recipe looks like a super fun challenge!
I did not go to my 10 yr either….watched a BIG college FB game that night instead! don’t go! =)
Wow, I am literally drooling from those pictures.
Hahaa, my reunion was canceled due to lack of interest. Apparently my whole class would rather consume cinnamon rolls than endure a painfully awkward situation!
Can’t wait to try your recipe!
OMG!!!!! I love this recipe!!!!!!!
I have to make it…..now!!!!!!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Cata
i wonder if any of your former classmates secretly read your blog
Ooh. Yum! I haven’t seen a dough with cream cheese folded in it before, but YUM!
My 21 year reunion is this year (everyone slacked too much and there was no 20 year). I’m not going. Same reasons as you. Well, I guess that and I live hundreds of miles from where I grew up. I would only like to be there as a fly on the wall so to speak. I just want to see how everyone looks now. ;) Oh well.
A lot can happen in ten years. The cool ones aren’t so cool and the “geeky” ones maybe graduated from med school. You’ll be surprised how many marriages are already divorces and the amount of single mothers loving their kids but struggling to keep it all together. You have accomplished so much and a terrific future ahead as evidenced from all the bloggers who love and adore you and would gladly spend an afternoon in your company chowing down cinnamon rolls. Go get a fab dress, get your hair done, strut your stuff, laugh and spread good cheer.
My fiftieth reunion is coming up soon, and I was amazed that some of my old friends emphatically do NOT want to go.
Still I hope that by 2017 we will all have matured and can greet one another without sneering. Perhaps the trick is to keep the discussion on the really important topics like cinnamon rolls, peach brulee and food blogs, notably Joy the Baker!
WOW talk about irresistable!!! Great pics!!! Im drooling!
Holy smokes…these cinnamon rolls looks deadly-especially for the hips! Oh what the heck….only go this way once! I’ve never mixed the cream cheese into the dough-I can’t wait to try it.
I’ve never been to a class reunion and don’t feel like I’ve missed a darned thing….and let me tell you-I’ve been out of school a LOT longer than 10 years!!!! Try 37—–think people will have changed if I choose to go the next time? Yeah-everyone but me….in my dreams!
I’d rather stay home and make cinnamon rolls!
Oh-and to solve the they’re-dry-or-hard-the-next-day dilemma…..pop them in the microwave and nuke them a few seconds….like 10? Nice, warm….and SOFT!
Oh delicious delicious. I understand the cinnamon roll therapy!
Joy, i LOVE your blog, your recipes, everything!!! I’ve been following your blog for quite a time now.
In fact i enjoy your blog so much, that I nominated you for One Lovely Blog Award! for more detail, please visit http://minisweethearts.blogspot.com/2009/06/g-r-c-i-s.html
=) keep the good work girl!
Joy,
I love your site and have been loving it for the past few weeks. Your beautiful pictures and funny stories (oh and um, fantastically yummy recipes) have really made smile amidst a kinda trying time. But how can you be sad in the face of cinammon rolls?
I just wanted you to know that I adapted your chai pancakes and made them into gluten-free pomegranate pancakes (giving you credit on my site, of course!) … and well, they were wonderful. Thank you so much for the site – I love reading it!!
- Dana
(here’s my link to the GF pom pancakes: http://glutenfreeincleveland.blogspot.com/2009/06/pom-wonderful-pomegranate-pancakes.html )
Oh my, those are beyond luscious-looking!!! Don’t worry – I had my 20th reunion last year (eeek!) and it was pretty much a love-fest. And I was a TOTAL geek in high school. But everyone who went seemed to really want to say hi and catch up, all the cattiness had been beaten out of all of us by life :) Good luck!
Oh. Em. Gee. I haven’t even gotten past the title of the post yet…Cream Cheese plus Cinnamon Rolls?! I’m sure they are heavenly! Two of my most favorite things in the world {sigh} I can’t wait to read the post now!
Okay, now I’ve read the post. I HATED my 10 year high school reunion. My 20th was much better — much better! My 25th, though, was kick butt AWESOME. And now, people from my class who never hung out together in high school are getting together once a month, eating great food and having wonderful conversations. So – skip the 10 year, but go to your 25th. At the 10 year reunion everyone is still trying to impress everyone else. By the 25th we’re all going, “to hell with it. I am who I am. Like me or don’t let the door hit ya in the ass on your way out.” :)
And for what it’s worth, I’d totally drool over pictures of your cinnamon rolls if you were to show them to me at a reunion. :)
Completely drool-worthy.
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